To say the Q4i team has been busy over the last 18 months would be a HUGE understatement. However, we have reached the finish lines on much of that work and are enjoying the fruits of our labor.
We have recently hit two significant milestones as an organization:
- We released our first book. 📚
- We have launched an online subscription service. 👩💻
As we do most everything, they have been built with you, our audience, in mind.
Why we do this
We have long defined our purpose as to “transform and serve the industry.” While we do that in many ways attainable by everyone (blog, free downloads, etc.), many haven’t had access to our ideas and guidance at the depth we’d like to offer. This is usually either because of financial constraints or working in an organization resistant to change.
Whether it’s reading the book or subscribing to the online service, we wanted to share what you’ll find in each. Even if you don’t choose a path of engagement with us, we encourage you to find this type of support somewhere.
Our book: The Salesperson’s Guide to Growing a Business
Learn more about The Salesperson’s Guide to Growing a Business on our website.
Why we wrote it – Ours is an “accidental” industry. Very few grew up with the goal and aspiration of an insurance career. As a result, many aren’t prepared to capitalize on the amazing opportunities they find. The industry hasn’t prepared most agencies and producers to effectively build a book of business, much less run the businesses they have built. We wrote the book to help you create a more intentional path to growth and success.
Who it’s for – Any business owner, salesperson, or other industry professional looking to achieve greater personal success and contribute to their organization at a higher level.
Why you may want to read it – To learn from industry-specific lessons, resources, and instruction that you can apply immediately.
The structure of the book
The book is structured around the four pillars of our Q4i Growth Platform that drive organizational success. Each pillar is broken down into four impact areas to make success more actionable. Each chapter ends with a brief self-analysis, shared resources (videos, templates, etc.) to dive even deeper into the ideas, and specific next steps to take on your path to success.
Here’s a brief description of what each pillar section is all about.
Marketing - Marketing is not a new business idea. But, in many real ways, it is for insurance agencies. This is the case for one underlying reason: insurance agencies have depended on insurance carriers for the products they distribute, and the agencies have survived peripherally through the carriers’ marketing efforts.
It’s dangerous to run a business overly dependent on someone else’s product, especially when your competitors can access the same third-party products. An effective marketing strategy is your best opportunity to regain control from your suppliers and separate your business from your competition.
Without an effective marketing strategy and plan, no independent business can maintain financial success. The book will help you build both.
Sales - Selling is the lifeblood of every business. Period. Selling isn't a nice-to-have or a "when we find the time" activity. You must make selling a priority.
You probably find this easy to agree with as you read the words. Sadly, it is not the mindset most salespeople or agency owners operate with.
For you producers working for someone else, your job is to sell.
Always.
You can't stop once you're satisfied with your income. The agency and your other team members depend on you doing your job of selling.
Selling is a difficult and scary job, but this book will make it easier and less threatening.
Service - Service team. Resell team. Client experience team. Account management team. It can be known by any number of names, but the point is the same: It’s the very heart and soul of the operation for delivering a client experience that gives clients a reason to stay or leave.
Service is a big responsibility in a B2B organization like an insurance agency. Once the sale is made, the transition from salesperson to service person can make or break the relationship. When the teams work cohesively, and everyone focuses on the client’s needs, harmony happens. When teams are not universally focused on the client but on other things, such as egos and distrust, it’s a quick trip to chaos.
Creating sales and service teams that thrive together is a core principle for a successful sales organization. And having a healthy mindset about the roles the two teams play is an essential starting point. As much as we hear agencies brag about their great service, your value proposition must extend far beyond “great service” as a reason for someone to hire you.
The book will help you evolve and deliver that type of value proposition.
Leadership - Leadership isn't about having a title; that's management. Leadership is about influence. You're a leader once you establish yourself as worthy of influencing others. EVERYONE needs to be an influential leader, whether you’re looking to influence those who work for and with you, prospects and clients, or even outside business partners.
You may not have thought about it this way, but you are reading this blog (educating yourself) because you recognize the need to lead and influence. That recognition gives you a head start to being an effective leader/influencer.
The book will help guide you even further down that path.
Online subscription service
One of the great limitations to having greater reach and impact with our program has been the hands-on approach on which it was built. We have taken the same proven ideas, resources, and lessons and built them into an online subscription platform.
Why we built it – To ensure our training programs, resources, coaching, and the power of the Q4i Growth Platform are accessible to every industry professional looking to grow.
Who it’s for – Agency owners and salespeople looking for a support system to drive predictable growth.
Why you may want to engage
Here is a brief look at the engagement options we offer. You will find more details, images, and pricing on our website.
Tier 1 / SELL – In this entry-level engagement, we provide access to online sales training videos that help you build a buyer-focused sales process. We’ll teach you to remove your dependence on the “same as everyone else” process of showing up at renewal, getting quotes, and showing off your capabilities presentation. In its place, you will build a systematic process to identify the buyer's problems and offer strategically aligned solutions.
This engagement is for the individual producer looking to dramatically improve their sales results with a repeatable and flexible sales process.
Tier 2 / EXPAND – Besides the core sales training provided in SELL, you will have access to expanded training videos to help you build and maintain a healthy pipeline of prospects and create healthy habits to drive sustainable growth. You’ll also receive additional tools and tips to build on a strong foundation.
This engagement is for the individual producer looking to build behaviors and skills to help ensure predictable sales success.
Tier 3 / ENGAGE – In addition to everything provided in SELL and EXPAND, you will be provided the opportunity to augment your growth by connecting with a community of peers and coaches to help support and motivate you along your path to growth. You’ll also be able to expand your internal support by making the Q4i platform accessible to a member of your support team.
This engagement is for the individual producer or small agency owner who recognizes the power of a support network (both external and internal) in helping to drive growth.
Tier 4 / INTEGRATE – In addition to everything provided in SELL, EXPAND, and ENGAGE, you will receive access to a complete suite of agency growth resources (marketing, service, and leadership, in addition to sales) for up to ten of your team members.
This engagement is for an agency with a couple of producers and a service team looking to grow together individually and as an organization.
We told you we’d been busy
Whether you think you can immediately take advantage of the book or one of the subscription tiers, we’d love it if you explored what they offer in more detail. It’s challenging times for the industry; growth is less assured than ever.
We have written the book and developed the platform to make your path to growth easier and more predictable. Whether you take advantage of them now or sometime down the road, please familiarize yourself with these resources that have been built with you in mind.
